How good is your tracking on your Skywatcher auto dob?

[+Doc]

just wondering those that have a Skywatcher Flextube auto how accurate is your tracking on it. How long does it leave the object in the centre of your FOV.

To set tracking what I do is:

1. With controller press buttons until altitude scale reads zero

2. Turn mount off

3.Turn mount on.

4. With controller press buttons until latitude is reached.

5. Press slow and fast (Set Lat) together.

Is this correct.

[Brantuk]

We've left ours for half an hour Mick and gone back to find the object still pretty much central. You have the procedure correct for setting the lattitude.

I'd add these two things:

Firstly - finish setting 0 degs using the up arrow and finish setting lattitude using the up arrow.

Secondly when centering objects allways finish side moves on the right arrow. For eastern objects finish centering on the up arrow, for western objects finish on the down arrow.

Hope that makes sense - it helps to eliminate mechanical backlash

[+Doc]

Cheers Kim.

Does your dob have alot of backlash?

[Brantuk]

Yes it does - ours is the older model with the underrated motors so it's a bugger to tune up. Your's has the newer motors Mick so it should be less of a problem - but you'll still get the inherent backlash that all cog driven mounts have - just not as much as ours.

[Craig]

Secondly when centering objects allways finish side moves on the right arrow. For eastern objects finish centering on the up arrow, for western objects finish on the down arrow.

I recall being given the same advice and it was sound, I always finished on the right arrow and it made a lot of difference.

[Guest Mark Payton]

My 300 Dob is a 2010 purchase. I reckon half an hour is the best I have got. I don't check how level I am when I start so probably could do better.

[+Doc]

Cheers guys, I'll try that trick out next time I'm outside.